"The stepped noses seen on most of this season’s Formula One cars - and deemed ugly by many - are very likely to disappear next year, thanks to a change in the FIA’s technical regulations allowing teams to cover them with special fairings.

The revised rules, just published by Formula One racing’s governing body, give details of the ‘modesty panels,’ which can be used to smooth the transition between the low nose and the high chassis. The fairings will not affect the car’s impact-protection properties and teams will not be able to modify them to gain an aerodynamic advantage.

Article 3.7.9 of the 2013 technical regulations refers to the new panels as “an optional, single piece, non-structural fairing of prescribed laminate (whose precise lay-up may be found in the Appendix to the regulations) which may not be more than 625mm above the reference plane at any point.”

i heard that as well to make them prettier ! not to know the details thou.But what i been thinking is, Mclaren went a different route and had a lower top of chassis so they didn't have the step, and that was a pretty that turned out to be a fast one as well !

i heard that as well to make them prettier ! not to know the details thou.But what i been thinking is, Mclaren went a different route and had a lower top of chassis so they didn't have the step, and that was a pretty that turned out to be a fast one as well !

So do you think other teams will go that route next year ?

Nobody who had a decent car in 2012 will go that route. With little change in the rules for next season it wouldn't make any sense doing the "from the ground up" redesign that would be required to make that happen.

2014 maybe, but since they've scrapped the aero changes for then as well I don't see it happening anytime soon.

i heard that as well to make them prettier ! not to know the details thou.But what i been thinking is, Mclaren went a different route and had a lower top of chassis so they didn't have the step, and that was a pretty that turned out to be a fast one as well !

So do you think other teams will go that route next year ?

Nobody who had a decent car in 2012 will go that route. With little change in the rules for next season it wouldn't make any sense doing the "from the ground up" redesign that would be required to make that happen.

2014 maybe, but since they've scrapped the aero changes for then as well I don't see it happening anytime soon.

So Ferrari might to that then yeah good point, and i guess with the cover piece they will be prettier as well.

They will just cover it or hide it next yearhttp://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/102883Paddy Lowe"We have agreed a rule that allows a 'modesty panel', which in effect means you can take the existing cars and exiting structures that have a step and put a cover there, The way it is managed is that the laminate and size of that panel is limited so that you cannot create an aero [advantage] out of it and also so that it plays no part in the forward impact."

I'm looking forward to a return to low noses in 2014. For me I think this year's stepped noses were only aesthetically pleasing on certain cars. The Lotus was far more appealing than the Ferrari, for example.

I'm looking forward to a return to low noses in 2014. For me I think this year's stepped noses were only aesthetically pleasing on certain cars. The Lotus was far more appealing than the Ferrari, for example.

Couple of weeks ago they scrapped the 2014 aero rules, and left the 2009 rules in place so no low noses for that season unless designers find an advantage to it.

I'm looking forward to a return to low noses in 2014. For me I think this year's stepped noses were only aesthetically pleasing on certain cars. The Lotus was far more appealing than the Ferrari, for example.

Couple of weeks ago they scrapped the 2014 aero rules, and left the 2009 rules in place so no low noses for that season unless designers find an advantage to it.

That is disappointing if it is the case.

Is this article out of date? The article states that, although many of the aero changes for 2014 were scrapped, the low noses will stay. I've been pretty slack with keeping up with F1 news recently though...

The 2009 Ferrari was so damn pretty for me a throw back to the late 80's/ early 90's, the low swooping noses were just sexual

I also loved the F60, also loved the sabre toothed Williams of 2004 which everyone else hated too...beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that.

_________________The underlying thing about all this,no matter how bright you are,no matter how logical one is or how much money one has,you have to be a completely stupid optimist...I believe there are about 3 million competition licences worldwide. -Perry McCarthy

The 2009 Ferrari was so damn pretty for me a throw back to the late 80's/ early 90's, the low swooping noses were just sexual

I also loved the F60, also loved the sabre toothed Williams of 2004 which everyone else hated too...beauty is in the eye of the beholder and all that.

Walrus nose you mean? Same thing either way, but heard Walrus quoted much more.

Anyway, that's assuming all teams will keep their aero package from 2012. Why would they? All designers look to exploit loopholes and gain an advantage. If Infiniti Red Bull Racing, Scuderia Ferrari or McLaren see an advantage to changing their nose, they will. In a recent interview with Sky, Whitmarsh said something along the lines that while the car will be very similar, 95% of the parts will be different.

_________________"We can not drive slower, just to make the races more exciting." Alain Prost